The Disaster-Related Historical Materials of the Saga Domain in Early Modern Japan：An Overview, and Future Research Prospects

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss historical sources related to disasters—both natural and human-induced—in the Saga Domain in Early Modern Japan period. It begins by examining the strengths and limitations of Disasters Occurred in Saga Prefecture, a modern compilation that serves as a valuable starting point for understanding the frequency and nature of such historical disasters. To supplement this source, the thesis introduces additional materials, particularly the Nabeshima family documents, which are essential for advancing research on the domain’s disaster responses.The thesis identifies two major areas for future research. First, it proposes a reexamination of wind disaster records from the Bunsei era, which can shed light on the relationship between natural disasters and socio-political or ceremonial responses within the domain. Second, it emphasizes the increasing significance of digital archives—such as the Saga Prefectural Library Database and the Ogi Domain Diary Database—as essential tools for conducting systematic, comparative, and quantitative analyses. These developments not only enhance accessibility to historical materials but also offer new opportunities for reconstructing the temporal and structural realities of disaster response in Early Modern Japan.